Get creative for Mental Health Month

Blue Fringe Arts will be having their exhibition at Wentworth Falls Tafe from October 19 to 22. PHOTO: Supplied.October marks Mental Health Month in NSW, an awareness initiative encouraged to help all people in the state to think about their mental wellbeing.

Coinciding with the month is the Blue Fringe Arts Festival, organised in part by Lithgow AfterCare, which aims tocelebrate of the creativity of people with a lived experience of mental illness.

According to national mental health charity SANE, around 20% of adults are affected by some form of mental illness every year.

Anxiety disorders affect around 14% of the adult population every year and depression affects around 6% of the adult population every year.

Some are also affected by substance abuse disorders, psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, and other conditions.

Many people have more than one diagnosis.

That’s why this month is a time to take a step back andunderstand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives.

Part of the festival are the Blue Fringe Arts Awards, with prizes awarded to artists in a number of categories including Art/Sculpture, Photographyand Textiles.

Entries are open to anyone over the age of 16 years, with a lived experience of a mental health issue.

Entry forms are available now and entries close on Friday 14thOctober.

Forms can be found athttp://梧桐夜网bluefringearts.org/and Lithgow AfterCare at40 Main St Lithgow is a drop-off point for submissions.

Further questions can be directed to Aftercare by phone on6350 0100.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.